TOLEDO, Ohio — Food, food and more food: that's what a trip to the Greek American Festival at Holy Trinity Greek Church at Summit and Cherry Streets is all about.
Lets start at the gyro tent. Savory lamb and chicken sandwiches. They'll sellout by the end of the weekend.
"It's the energy and the activity from all the family and volunteers here at the festival," gyro chief Pete Petros said.
Over at the gourmet dinner tent, lamb shank and chicken oregano are the most popular dishes. So are the grape leaves, spinach pies, souvlaki and moussaka, all staples of the Greek culture and orthodox faith.
"It's good for you. Olive oil, lemon juice and it makes you smile," cook Harry Proestos said.
The pastries will make you smile too. Loukoumathes is a deep fried dough smothered in honey and topped off with cinnamon sprinkles.
It's a Greek tradition for special occasions.
"This is something that you make at home for birthdays, name days , anniversaries because you have the ingredients at the house. A simple desert," baker Elenie Matthews said.
To wash all this down is a cooling new drink: an ouzo slushy.
Ouzo is back at the festival after missing from the bar for several years. It's got a nice kick to it, a concoction of ouzo mixed with lemonade and a splash of grenadine.
"Ouzo is a dry, Greek liquore made from grapes, black licorice flavor to it similar to a Jaegerrmeister," bartender Robert Zink said.
The festival runs through Sunday. Admission is $6.00 for adults on Saturday, $3.00 on Sunday. Children under 12 years old are admitted free.
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